Supernaturally Charmed
by England's Property
Summary: With Prue Halliwell's soul banished courtesy of Cole Turner, the Charmed Ones turn to hunters Sam and Dean Winchester to track Prue's soul. Little are they all aware of the alliance between Cole and King of Hell Crowley and what they have in store for them.
1. Chapter 1

_It was a clear, moonlit night. A young man was running through a set of woods, searching for any means of refuge. He stopped by a tall oak, leaning up against the tree to catch his breath. Something was chasing after him, though he had no clue as to what that something was. He heard the familiar low growl that had been haunting him for the past half an hour. He decided to continue running going deeper and deeper into the woods. _

_The young man then tripped over a pile of logs, causing his palms to bleed when he scraped them on the ground. Suddenly he was face to face with a most horrid creature. Its entire body was covered in matted, brown fur and it had bright yellow eyes. The man screamed in horror as he saw the claws of the creature rise up. He was then slashed across his chest. The pain was excruciating. The creature tore at the young man with both its claws and teeth until the man was lying dead in a pool of blood._

_A slight drop in temperature took the creature, known as a wendigo, by surprise and caused it to leave the body behind. There was a dark figure standing above the young man looking down upon his body. It was an adult male wearing a black suit with white cufflinks. His attention was then drawn to two men coming in through a clearing. "I should have known," the man said, shaking his head._

"_Did you hear something?" asked the taller of the two men. His name was Sam Winchester, famous hunter, and was with his older brother Dean._

"_Nothing," Dean said, shaking his head._

"_Oh this is charming," the man in the suit said. He was one of the many reapers in the world that carried the souls of the deceased to either Heaven or Hell. This reaper was known as Claude. The soul of the young man, Keith Tips, had finally left its vessel._

"_Wha…what is going on?" questioned Keith as he looked to his body._

_Claude looked to Keith. "You have been mauled to death by a wendigo. You see those two men there, standing over your body?" Claude asked Keith, motioning to Sam and Dean._

_Keith turned and saw Sam and Dean. "Hey, I know them. They are those two FBI agents who came to my apartment last night."_

_Claude chuckled lightly. "You would imagine they would know enough to stop using such guises."_

"_What do you mean?" Keith asked._

_Claude looked to Keith. "You seem to be taking your death incredibly well," he said suddenly._

_Keith sighed. "Death is an inevitably and cannot be avoided. I'm not a religious man myself, but I always knew something was waiting for me." He extended his hand towards Claude. "I am ready."_

_Claude nodded and went to grab Keith's extended hand. Suddenly a bright, dazzling light surrounded the immediate area. Claude felt an unknown force grab on to him. It was nothing he had ever experienced as a reaper. Before he disappeared he felt himself appear before Sam and Dean who looked on in shock._

_The two brothers then looked to one another and suddenly Claude vanished from both the world of the living and the dead. "What the hell was that?" Dean asked Sam._

"_You've got me," Sam said._

_Keith found himself stuck without his reaper to take his soul. He screamed in aguish which caused Sam and Dean to look towards Keith. Whatever had happened to Claude had managed to reveal Keith's soul to the two brothers. "Keith?" Sam questioned. "Is that you?"_

_Keith nodded silently. "Oh boy," Dean said._

_Elsewhere Claude the reaper found himself in a dusty attic that was not familiar to him. He was trapped in a circle surrounded by crystals. Try as he might, however, he was not able to escape the circle. A stirring from the front of the attic made him look up. Standing before him were three women. Two of them shared similar dark, brown hair while the third had curly blonde hair._

_Claude rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Witches, I should have known."_

"_We're not your ordinary witches," the first woman said._

_Claude suddenly looked to the three sisters in horror. "Not…the Charmed Ones?" he asked._

"_The very same," said the eldest sister, Piper Halliwell. _

"_This is not possible," Claude said. "Witches are not supposed to know about reapers."_

"_So we've been told," said Phoebe Halliwell, the sister with short, brown hair._

"_You won't get anything out of me," Claude said._

_The youngest Charmed One, Paige Matthews, threw a vial of green liquid she had in her hand at the circle which caused Claude to scream in horror as he fell to his knees. "What do you want from me!?" he screamed._

_Piper raised an eyebrow. "We need you to fetch a lost soul. We summoned you here knowing that only a reaper possesses that ability."_

_Breathing heavily Claude stood up. "I cannot do what you're asking of me. If it is the soul of Prudence Halliwell that you seek, hers is a lost soul and if the Charmed Ones can't find it, then rest assured I myself cannot help you."_

"_What do you mean if the Charmed Ones can't find it?" Piper asked._

"_As you all very well know witches possess the ability to track fellow witches, related or not. If you haven't found Prue then who is to say I can?" Claude asked. "Us reapers know more about the Halliwell lineage than you might expect."_

_Phoebe stood in front of Claude, her gaze something fierce. "Prue's soul has been lost for ages. Since it has been lost for so long we have lost the ability to track her. No Elder, no Avatar nor Whitelighter can help us and that only leaves you."_

_Claude sighed. "How did you summon me anyhow? Not only was I nearly a thousand miles away but I don't believe we've ever had the pleasure of meeting each other."_

"_We know someone who recommended summoning a reaper," Phoebe explained. "At first we thought to summon the Angel of Death, but when we found out he was a low-level reaper we decided to look higher on the food chain."_

"_But of course," Claude said jerking his head in acknowledgement. He sighed. "Fine, I'll help you witches. But on one condition."_

"_That being?" Paige questioned._

"_Once this is all over, you burn the Reaper Summoning page in your Book of Shadows that you've made no effort of hiding," Claude said as he nodded to their Book of Shadows._

_The sisters looked to their book, Piper closing it quickly. She looked to Paige and Phoebe, and then to Claude. "Fine, agreed."_

"_Now do you mind?" Claude asked motioning to the circle._

_Paige rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. She then extended the palm of her hand and said, "Crystal." One of the crystals then transported, or orbed, directly into the palm of Paige's hand._

"_Impressive," Claude said. He dusted himself off. "Now in order to help you I need you to get rid of the binding spell you've placed upon me."_

_Piper and Phoebe looked to Paige. "It was a precaution," she said. She waved her hand once more and Claude sighed a breath of relief._

"_Now then, how exactly are you going to help us?" Piper asked._

_Claude looked to the sisters. "I know of two hunters, Sam and Dean Winchester. They have friends in high places and amazing resources. I'll have my boss contact them and tell them to meet you here."_

_Piper looked to Claude in confusion. "Hunters?" she asked._

_Claude eyed the sisters suspiciously. "The three most famous witches don't know about hunters?" He shook his head. "It seems your Whitelighter has been most sloppy. Let's just hope that Sam and Dean don't possess the same ignorance about you three." And then suddenly he disappeared._

_There was a knock on the attic door. It was Leo Wyatt, Piper's husband. "How did it go?" he asked._

"_It was odd, but he's going to help us," Piper explained._

_Leo nodded. "Reapers are pretty cunning so I'm glad you've found one who is willing to help. Be cautious though."_

_Piper smiled to Leo. "Hun, you're not our Whitelighter anymore. We know how to handle ourselves."_

_Phoebe then said, "What do you know about hunters?" _

_Leo's expression became knowledgeable and animated. "Hunters are humans who search out the evil of the world, be it witches, ghosts or demons. Most of them are rude and arrogant. The Elders have made it a point for witches like you to not associate with them unless the situation calls for it."_

"_Ever heard of Sam and Dean Winchester?" Paige asked._

_Leo shook his head. "The names don't really stick out to me, but that doesn't mean much. Ever since I lost my wings I also lost those daily meetings with the Elders. The world could have almost come to an end and they wouldn't have told me."_

_Piper laughed. "I'm not complaining," Piper said._

"_Not all hunters are familiar with good witches," Leo said, "so be prepared for anything. It doesn't matter if you're good or bad, one wrong move and a hunter will go in for the kill."_

"_Right," Paige said. "And on that note we're going to head out," she said. "Call us when those hunters arrive."_

_Piper nodded. "Will do." Paige then placed her hand on Phoebe's shoulder and orbed the two of them out._

_Leo looked to Piper, caressing her face. "Don't worry, okay? We're going to find Prue."_

"_I certainly hope so," said a voice suddenly. Piper looked around until her eyes caught those of her grandmother Penelope, though she was known as Grams to the sisters._

"_Grams!" Piper exclaimed._

"_Piper," Grams said. "And Leo, perfect."_

"_What's going on, Grams?" Piper asked._

"_I have some news that may interest you. I was waiting until Phoebe was gone to tell you," Grams said._

_Piper looked to Leo then back to Grams. "How come?"_

_Grams sighed. "It's Cole. He's back."_


	2. Chapter 2

_Cole Turner, former demon and Source of All Evil, was currently on his way to visit an old friend. He had found his way out of the cosmic void he had been trapped in and since then had accumulated a fair amount of powers, enough powers in fact to rival that of the Source of All Evil. Cole had appeared at a crossroads just outside a tavern in Missouri. Not before too long a man in a slimming, black suit had appeared. He was a whole head shorter than Cole and had a rather gruffly demeanor._

_The man looked to Cole with confusion. He then looked around as though for some other some sort of explanation as to this stranger's presence. "How did you mange to summon me?" Crowley asked._

"_You don't recognize an old friend, do you Crowley?" Cole asked, crossing his arms._

"_Well I'll be damned," Crowley said._

"_Aren't we all?" Cole said with a smirk._

"_Belthazar, is that you?" Crowley asked._

_Cole grinned. "My friends call me Cole."_

"_You have friends?" Crowley asked._

"_You caught me," Cole replied._

_Crowley's face quickly changed from shock to confusion. "Last I checked you were trapped in the void due to the scorn of a witch. How did you manage to escape?"_

_Cole extended his left palm towards Crowley and a rod of lightning blasted upwards into the sky. "I picked up a thing or two," he said._

_Crowley nodded in approval. "So why did you summon me?"_

"_Truth be told, I need your help," Cole said._

"_With all the powers you possess?" Crowley questioned. "I have to say I'm flattered."_

"_I need the Charmed Ones vanquished," Cole began. "I have tried countless times but to no avail."_

_Crowley shook his head. "That's suicide. You know how powerful those witches are. Even to get close we'd need an army of demons."_

"_Why else do you think I summoned the King of Hell?" Cole asked, crossing his arms. "Now I've already laid down the ground work. I managed to banish Prue Halliwell's soul which has already begun to weaken the Charmed Ones collective powers."_

_Crowley once more looked impressed. "I've made it a point to avoid crossing paths with those witches, even though I've lost a fair amount of demons to them. Perhaps it's time to make a stand."_

_Cole looked satisfied. "That's what I wanted to hear."_

"_I have an idea," Crowley said suddenly._

_Meanwhile the Winchester brothers found themselves in their bunker in Lebanon, Kansas. The soul of Keith Tips was with them watching them work to find a way to find his reaper as a soul was only allowed to move on with the reaper that had first contacted him._

"_Why can't you find anything?" Keith asked as he paced back and forth._

_Dean rolled his eyes. "Would you stop asking us that?"_

"_There's no precedent for this, Keith," Sam said turning around. _

_Dean nodded in agreement. Then he suddenly stopped. "Wait a minute, I know what we can do."_

_Sam looked to Dean with understanding. "We can't summon him. Remember what he told you last time? Remember what he said he would do to you if you even tried?"_

_Dean nodded. Then at that moment a cloud of vapor filled the room. "Don't worry boys, I'm here to help."_

"_That's him!" Keith said excitedly. "That's my reaper!" _

_Claude raised his hands. "Easy now, I can explain what happened."_

_Dean had reached for an iron poker that was lying across the table and aimed it for Claude who ducked out of the way. "Better start talking pal," Dean said._

"_I was summoned by a group of witches," Claude began. "Summoned and bound."_

"_Witches?" Sam asked._

"_Witches are real too?" Keith asked suddenly. "What else is out there?"_

_Groaning Claude extended his hand towards Keith and upon contact Keith turned into a similar vapor that Claude had appeared in and entered inside his body through his palm. "Sorry, he was distracting. But don't worry, I'll take care of him later."_

"_What do you mean you were summoned?" Dean asked. "And how did you manage to get inside our bunker? It's warded from all evil."_

"_Reapers are neutral not evil you ingrate," Claude said. "Besides, you two don't exactly leave behind a clean trail."_

"_Did you just come here to reap Keith's soul?" Sam asked._

_Claude shook his head. "Afraid not. Tell me, what do you know about the Charmed Ones?"_

_Sam and Dean looked to one another, the name not sounding familiar. Claude groaned once more. "You've got to be kidding me!?"_

"_What are the Charmed Ones?" Dean asked._

"_Not what, who," Claude replied. "They are three powerful, good witches and were the ones who summoned me. I've made a promise to help them, though I can only do so much."_

"_Good witches?" Dean asked. "Did I hear you right? There's no such thing, buddy."_

_Claude chuckled. "This is going to be one interesting experience." His face then became serious. "Look, they need help. I told them you two would help them."_

"_No way," Sam said. "We're not going to help witches."_

_Dean nodded. "Yeah, that's right!"_

_Claude extinguished all the lights with a snap of his fingers so that only he was illuminating. "There is a greater force at work here, I can feel it. You will go to San Francisco and help the Halliwells."_

_The boys were quiet. Claude then turned the lights back on. A single piece of paper floated down in flames to the table. "What is that?" Dean asked._

"_That is the sisters' address," Claude said. "You best get going and be careful."_

"_We've dealt with witches before," Dean said._

"_Not witches like these, believe me," Claude said. And with a short chuckle he disappeared from the bunker._

"_Are we really even considering this?" Sam asked._

_Dean mulled that over for a moment. "Yes, but we go in prepared. If a group of witches are seeking out the help of hunters, well I can only imagine the sort of trouble they're in."_

"_Are you thinking Crowley?" Sam asked. Dean shrugged. "Alright," Sam conceded. "Let's get ready." _


	3. Chapter 3

_Sam and Dean were nearly to San Francisco. They had driven straight across the country in just over a day with minimal stops. As the two were driving Sam noticed something out of the corner of his eye. As his gaze fell upon the field they were driving past Sam noticed balls of fire going back and forth, shadows of men being cast in the light. "Dean, Dean pull over!" Sam exclaimed._

"_What for?" Dean asked._

"_There's something going on out there," Sam said. "Now pull over!"_

_Dean decreased the speed of the Impala and turned off of the road towards an abandoned farm house. Instead of driving down the rest of the road Sam made Dean stop the car and it became evident as to why. "What the hell is going on over there?" Dean asked as he stepped out of the car with Sam._

_In the field there were dozens of men standing opposite each other. They seemed to be throwing balls of flames at one other. "Demons?" Sam asked._

"_Not sure," Dean said. "We should get out of here though. This isn't our fight."_

"_I want to know why a group of demons are out here attacking each other," Sam said. "Maybe it has something to do with those witches?"_

"_Look I don't want to be part of this," Dean said. "Let's get to those Halliwells and see what they know, if anything."_

_Reluctantly Sam got back in the car and Dean immediately reversed the car back onto the highway. A few minutes after the Impala was out of sight two men appeared in flames almost exactly where the car had been. "Well, not many left standing, are there?" Cole noted. He had appeared with Crowley to watch the competition he and Cole had arranged to find the best demons._

"_What I find astonishing is how well demons from the Underworld hold up against your demons from Hell," Cole said. "Not exactly what I was expecting."_

_Crowley nodded. "Getting them to work together is the trick though, isn't it? It was hard enough trying to control underworld demons without them siding with that redheaded leech." Cole looked to Crowley with confusion. "Don't worry, she's been taken care of in every definition of the word."_

_Cole nodded. "I'm going to talk to my associates, make sure everything is in order for our ambush."_

_Crowley eyed Cole suspiciously. "It's more than the Charmed Ones heads you want, isn't it?" Cole then disappeared before Crowley could get another word in. "Bollocks," he said. He then cleared his throat. "Oh boys, let's take a break, shall we?"_

_Meanwhile Piper found herself panting for breath calling for Paige. Immediately Paige orbed in and a look of shock came upon her face once she saw the state Piper was in. Piper's shirt was torn in pieces and her hair was frayed and matted. "What happened to you?" she asked._

"_I just fought off two furies and a vampire," Piper said._

_At that moment the door opened. Phoebe and Leo had walked in. Immediately the two saw Piper and went to her side. "Are you okay? What happened?" Leo asked._

_Piper stood up. "It seems that there are factions of all sorts of evil that are being sent to attack us," Piper said. "At least that's what I got out of the fury before I vanquished it."_

"_You vanquished a fury?" Leo asked._

"_Two furies and a vampire to be exact," Piper said._

_Phoebe looked confused suddenly. "Furies are born to destroy evil, why would two furies be teamed up with a vampire?"_

"_There's something Leo and I need to tell you, Phoebe," Piper said._

"_That being?" Phoebe asked._

"_The fury told me that there was someone who was sending different factions out for our heads," Piper said. "She told me who it was, and unless Grams had brought it to me and Leo's attention, I would never have believed her."_

"_Who is it?" Phoebe asked looking between Piper and Leo. Paige looked on in confusion._

"_It's Cole," Piper said. There was silence that seemed to last a lifetime._

_Phoebe shook her head. "No, there is no way Cole is back."_

"_It's true, Phoebe," said the voice of Grams though she couldn't be seen. "And you better accept it sooner rather than later if you want to defeat him."_

_The group looked around until Grams appeared. Someone else appeared with the sister's grandmother. "Mom?" Phoebe asked._

"_Your Grams and I discovered something," Patty said. "Not only did Cole escape the cosmic void that he had been sentenced to live out his eternal punishment in, but he also gained a great deal of powers. More powers than he had even as the Source of All Evil."_

_Phoebe was in tears, sitting on the couch. "We didn't want you to find out this way," Grams. "But he is growing an army and he needs to be stopped."_

"_How long have you known?" Paige asked, her arm on Phoebe's shoulder._

"_Your mother and I have known about Cole's escape since Prue's soul was taken shortly after," Grams said. "We only learned of his powers more recently."_

"_How did you find out?" Leo asked._

"_The Elders have been meeting with other angelic beings that can see into the void," Patty explained. "They won't tell us much else except that with the aid of these allies they have seen that a great many of powers have been stolen. Naturally it is assumed that Cole took them with him when they left."_

_Phoebe got up and left the manor. "I'll go after her," Paige said._

"_No," Patty said grabbing onto Paige's arm. "She needs some time."_

"_I'm going to go change," Piper said as she headed upstairs._

"_So what do we do?" Paige asked. "Do we wait for these Winchesters, or go after Cole?"_

"_Focus on saving Prue," Grams said. "In order to do that do as the reaper says."_

_Paige nodded. "I'm going to go and check in on Henry." She then made to orb out of the manor. A few moments after she began to orb away she was stopped and ended up crashing on the floor. _

"_What's wrong?" Patty asked. "What's wrong with your orbing?"_

_Paige shook her head as Leo helped her up. "I, I don't know."_

_At that moment a man in white robes laced with gold appeared. It was an Elder, an Elder the sisters were most familiar with. "Kyle, they made you an Elder?" Leo asked. Paige's face frozen in fear as she was face to face with her former lover._

"_Indeed they did, Leo. To put it simply I'm striving to return the Elders to their former glory. Too long have we meddled in the affairs of the Charmed Ones," Kyle explained._

"_I'd say," said Piper as she came down the stairs. "What are you doing here?"_

_Kyle looked to the sister's Grams and mother. He waved his hand and they disappeared. "Don't worry," he said as he noted the look of surprise on everyone's face, "once Prue's soul reunites with them all will be well. However that is not why I've come."_

"_Why have you come?" Paige asked._

"_To explain that your powers, all of your powers, are weakening," Kyle said. "Because Cole banished Prue's soul from the afterlife, and with her being the eldest Charmed One, your powers are weakening. That means that eventually they will disappear altogether, but not before you experience losing the control that you once held over them."_

"_How is that possible?" Piper asked._

"_Despite Prue's death, she is still connected to each of you both on a spiritual and magical level. Her powers enhance each of yours. The same happens with any witch who has a strong bond to a deceased loved one that is also magical," Kyle said._

_He looked around to everyone. "Now I've been informed that you will be working closely with two famous hunters by the names of Sam and Dean Winchester. I warn you now, these two hunters have quite the history but they're the best at what they do and I feel very strongly that together you will be able to stop Cole."_

"_How come you never told us about these hunters before? Why keep them a secret?" Paige asked._

"_I believe Leo has already informed you on that matter," Kyle said. "But be warned, Cole has powerful allies and this time he doesn't have the love that he once possessed for Phoebe in the way of stopping him from killing you all."_

_Kyle then orbed away. "Right," Piper said. "Best we call on a few of our friends while we wait for those hunters to get here." Leo and Paige nodded in agreement and headed for the attic with Piper._


	4. Chapter 4

_Daylight was creeping upon the Winchester brothers as they entered the city of San Francisco. They had crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and were heading through the downtown area. Looking down at the address once more Sam told Dean to take a right at the next set of lights that then took them to a small neighborhood. It was apparent that this neighborhood wasn't used to having such loud vehicles as nearly every passerby stared on in awe._

_Dean winked at a few women as he drove on. "There it is Dean, pull over," Sam said as he pointed to a large Victorian style house. It was painted pink with white trimmings. "This is 1329 Prescott Street." Dean pulled over to the other side of the street and turned off the car._

_Slowly the two brothers got out. "Not exactly where you'd expect witches to live," Dean noted as the brothers made their way across the street. Just as they made their way to the front porch there was an explosion that could be heard from inside and some low growls._

"_What the hell?" Sam said. Another explosion could be heard and immediately Dean took it upon himself to kick the door to Halliwell Manor down. Sam followed him inside pulling out his gun he had on his person searching for the source of the noise._

_Then a body could be seen being blasted backwards into the living room. "Filthy witches!" the man shouted. He then summoned a crossbow from out of nowhere and aimed it for a blonde woman. A dark arrow was released but the woman deflected it with a wave of her hand, though just barely._

_Then from upstairs another woman came down and positioned her hands in a way that made the man freeze, quite literally. "This is the second Dark Lighter today," the brunette haired woman said, nearly out of breath._

"_What the hell?" Dean said looking between the witches and the man._

_Piper saw Sam and Dean and then immediately froze them as well. Paige stood next to Piper eyeing the two men with suspicion. "They have guns," Paige said. "Are they cops?"_

_Piper shook her head. "I'd take a guess and say these two are the hunters we've been waiting for." She laughed. "A lot of good their guns will do." She then turned to the Dark Lighter and blew him up._

_What seemed hours to the Winchester brothers finally passed and they came to. Immediately they noticed they were bound to two chairs, back to back. Looking around they saw three women, presumably the witches they were supposed to be helping._

"_What's going on?" Sam asked._

"_Relax," Piper said. "We're not going to hurt you. We just have some questions to ask before we let you go."_

"_Not exactly a great first impression," Dean said looking between the three women._

"_I could say the same," Piper agreed. "Breaking into my home."_

"_We heard explosions," Sam said. "It's not in our nature to ignore that." Piper nodded to Phoebe._

_Phoebe then slowly approached the two brothers. "What are you doing?" Dean asked. "Back off!" Phoebe then placed a hand on both of the brothers, her eyes closing. Quickly she released falling to the floor._

"_What is it? What did you see?" Paige asked._

"_Death," Phoebe said. "So much loss." Dean lowered his gaze._

"_Look we came here to help you," Sam said._

"_What I want to know is why witches need the help of hunters?" Dean asked through gritted teeth._

"_It's our sister," Piper said. "Her soul is lost. Not being able to track it ourselves we sought out the help of a reaper who told us that you two would be better tasked for the job."_

_Sam and Dean looked confused. "We don't find souls," Sam said. "We slay monsters."_

"_I knew they wouldn't be able to help," Paige said._

"_Hold up," Dean said. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_It means that you two are mortal," Paige replied. "You have no means of helping us so just go."_

_Sam was quiet for a moment. "No, we can help." Dean tried to kick Sam to shut him up, but to no avail. "We have a friend who might know how to help."_

"_Let us go first and we might just call him," Dean said. Hesitant, Piper released their bonds. Sam and Dean both stood up. Sighing Dean then called out loud, "Cas, Cas are you there? We need your help."_

_After a very awkward silence a man in a trench coat and white dress shirt appeared. He looked a bit disheveled but otherwise content. He looked from Sam and Dean to the Halliwells. "The Charmed Ones," Castiel said. "An honor."_

"_And who is this?" Piper asked._

"_My name is Castiel, I am an angel," he replied._

"_An angel? Like a White Lighter?" Phoebe asked._

_Castiel grimaced. "White Lighters are the lowest form of angels, I am so much more. I must admit I never thought I'd see the day where the Charmed Ones crossed paths with Sam and Dean Winchester, but here you all are."_

"_Cas, are you able to track souls?" Dean asked._

_Castiel turned to Dean. "But of course," he replied. "Though it is more difficult the longer the soul has been missing. I understand there is a division of angels currently working together with the beings known as Elders to find the location of the demon known as Balthazar."_

"_That's right, how did you know that?" Phoebe asked._

"_Angel radio," Castiel replied. "I myself have not been summoned. Since Heaven has been reopened I am not welcome, at least not for a while."_

"_How come the Elders haven't asked one of these angels to help us?" Paige asked suddenly. "If an angel can find Prue, then surely the Elders would think to ask one of them?"_

_Castiel shook his head. "I'm afraid the angels wouldn't help you, even if they could. They are more focused on ridding the world of demons and if a witch or two loses their powers along the way, it's of no concern to them."_

_Piper shook her head. "Why would the Elders be working with them then?"_

_Castiel sighed. "It's a complicated matter, really. One I don't fully understand. But let's concentrate on finding your sister, shall we? The demons of Hell are moving and rest assured ghosts, vampires and the like are the least of your concern."_

"_Go and check on Leo, would you?" Piper asked Paige. "Tell him about everything that has happened."_

_Castiel turned to Piper. "Not Leo Wyatt? Is that the Leo you are referring to?"_

_Piper nodded slowly. "Why, do you know him?"_

_Castiel smiled. "He's an old friend." He then turned to Paige. "Mind if I tag along?" Paige shook her head and then the two disappeared from the manor._

"_So what now?" Sam asked._

"_Now we wait," Phoebe said. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Crowley currently found himself meeting with Cole in an abandoned castle just outside of Glasgow, an area all too familiar to Crowley. Appearing in flames Cole was leaning up against a pillar. "Why are we here?" Crowley asked._

"_Word has it that the Charmed Ones have joined forces with some dear friends of yours," Cole said. Crowley appeared confused. "Do the names Sam and Dean Winchester mean anything to you?"_

_Suddenly Crowley became furious. He slammed his foot on the ground causing a great crack to appear in the foundation of the building. "How the hell did they find the Charmed Ones?"_

"_Well that's why we're here," Cole said. "I've tracked a reaper to this very location. It's where he rests, for all intents and purposes, between harboring souls." Cole snapped his fingers and a cloud of smoke appeared. Suddenly it tried to escape through a small window but Cole stopped it with another snap and before the two demons appeared Claude the reaper._

"_What, what is going on?" Claude asked. "Who dares disturb my sleep?" He turned from Cole to Crowley and immediately the color drained from his face. "Crowley?"_

"_Hello Claude," Crowley replied._

"_Another binding spell, wonderful," Claude said. "What is it you want?"_

"_It's not me who has bound you," Crowley said as he looked to Cole._

_Claude turned to Cole. "And who might you be?" Cole smiled. His gaze was concentrated on Claude and the reaper fell to his knees. "What are you?" Claude said through heavy breaths._

_Crowley suddenly turned away from Cole. "You picked up something else in the void, didn't you?" Crowley asked. "Something other than a handful of powers?"_

_Cole smiled at Crowley, his eyes turning pitch-black. He turned his attention once more to Claude. "I know the Charmed Ones summoned you, reaper. I'm curious as to why."_

"_They wanted help," Claude said. "They wanted my help to find their sister, Prue."_

_Cole turned away from the reaper, his anger increasing. He slammed his fist against the stone of the castle a hole blasting through it. "Don't tell me you managed to find her?" Cole asked._

"_No, but I sent them in the direction of those who can," Claude replied. "The Winchester brothers."_

_Cole turned to face Claude. With a mere gaze Claude burst into ash. "Was that really necessary?"_

"_I wouldn't start to question me now, Crowley," Cole replied. "Now let's get going. The factions need to be summoned so we can check their progress." Crowley inclined his head and the two demons disappeared in flames._

_Meanwhile Castiel found himself with Paige Matthews in a rather extraordinary building. He found himself looking every which-way to take it all in. "Where exactly are we?" Castiel asked._

"_Magic School," Paige replied. "A place where the magically gifted can practice the craft safely and without ridicule. Leo teaches here. It's perhaps the most safest place in the world."_

_Castiel nodded. "I'm surprised I haven't heard of this place before." Paige then led Castiel into a room just at the end of the hallway. She knocked three times and then entered._

"_Paige, what are you doing here?" Leo asked. He then looked to Castiel, a look of confusion upon his face. "And who is that?"_

"_Piper wanted me to check up on the kids," Paige said._

"_They're fine. Granted Chris has been taking away a lot of Wyatt's toys, but other than that," Leo said, his voice trailing off. "Is everything okay at the manor?"_

_Paige shrugged. "Well a couple more Dark Lighters attacked, but they were vanquished. That's when the two hunters appeared."_

"_Is this one of them?" Leo asked as he stood up._

"_Don't you recognize me, Leo?" Castiel asked._

_Leo looked at Castiel for a while but shook his head. "Afraid not, should I?"_

_Castiel sighed. "Every good angel has their memories tampered with at some point, I daresay. Leo Wyatt, before you became a White Lighter you were a servant of the Lord. Your actions in Heaven granted you the honor of being a White Lighter."_

"_Who is this?" Leo asked._

"_He's a friend of Sam and Dean. Apparently he is an angel and can help us find Prue," Paige explained._

"_Is that so?" Leo asked. He then pushed past Castiel and left his office._

"_Where are you going?" Paige asked. Castiel followed her out of the classroom as Leo rushed down the hallway._

"_To find out the truth," Leo said._


	6. Chapter 6

_Crowley and Cole found themselves in a conference room facing each faction of evil that the world had to offer. Crowley was sitting at the head of the table while Cole was circling. "I want to begin this meeting by checking the progress on your attacks on the Halliwells."_

_A man stood up. He had jet-black hair and wore a brown leather jacket. "The warlocks have been unable to enter the manor. No matter how we attack, it seems that the manor is warded from us."_

_Cole nodded. "Naturally they would have placed crystals all around the manor. Surely a group of warlocks could outwit that?"_

"_Don't be so sure, sire," said a woman as she stood up. She wore a thin, red robe and had raven hair that flowed to her elbows. "Warlocks are not the brightest of beings."_

"_Oh and vampires are?" the warlock said turning his gaze towards the vampire. "Tell me, where are your children? Oh that's right, the Charmed Ones took care of them, didn't they?"_

"_ENOUGH!" Cole shouted, his voice loud and low. His eyes turned pitch-black and the two sat down in fear._

"_Is that…is that you?" the vampire questioned._

_Cole began to laugh. "Do you honestly think anyone besides the Source of All Evil could escape the cosmic void?"_

_Crowley stood up facing Cole. "You let him inside you, didn't you?" Crowley asked._

_Cole turned to Crowley, his eyes still black. "It would be unwise, Crowley, for you to engage me. You are an old friend and I'd find your demise distasteful." Everyone was staring between the two, waiting for a fight to ensue._

_Cole cleared his throat, turning his attention once more to the evil factions. "Now that we have an understanding, who is next? Furies and vampires have proven useless, as have Dark Lighters and Warlocks."_

"_Oh I believe you've set the bar far too low, your darkness," said a voice from nowhere. Everyone looked around to find the source but it wasn't until Cole waved his hand that the person behind the voice appeared._

"_Barbas, quite the surprise," Cole said. "Last I checked the Charmed Ones vanquished you."_

"_I could say the same," Barbas replied. He then looked towards Crowley. "And Crowley, it's been centuries."_

"_Vermin," Crowley replied._

"_As it were it turns out that I've returned courtesy of you," Barbas said to Cole. "It seems that the fear the sisters possess for the loss of their sister's soul has reawakened me. Fear always comes back."_

"_So it would seem," Cole said. He turned to his guests and with a wave of his hand again they all disappeared. "They'll be no more need for them."_

"_Shall I go and check on my men?" Crowley asked. Cole nodded and Crowley disappeared leaving Cole and Barbas alone._

"_I want it to be known that it is only my lust for the blood of the Charmed Ones that you still stand, Barbas," Cole said. "My love for Phoebe has long since been extinguished and now there is nothing in my way that will stop me from killing them all."_

_Barbas nodded, bowing before the Source. "I offer my services in exchange for one thing only."_

"_What might that be?" Cole asked._

"_To live my life freely, without an execution from yourself," Barbas said. "I wish to torture and defile the same as any other demon."_

_Cole looked to Barbas who raised his eyes to meet Cole's. "Your request shall be considered. Crowley is training up his demons and suffice it to say they possess powers that the demons of the underworld do not." He paused as Barbas stood up from his bow. "The Charmed Ones will call on their old friends and allies so I am simply doing the same. Once we get past them I will leave it to you, Barbas, to play on the sister's fears long enough for me to destroy them."_

"_So be it," Barbas replied in his thick, oily voice. "You've seen how well I've done it before."_

_Cole smirked. "Indeed. And you've seen me put an end to you before as well, keep that in mind. But I should warn you."_

"_Yes?" Barbas said._

"_There are two hunters, Sam and Dean Winchester, that will be with the sisters," Cole said. "The demon blood on their hands rivals even that of mine, and that is saying something."_

"_What should be done with them?" Barbas asked._

"_As a reward I have ensured that Crowley gets them," Cole said. "Do what you must, but make sure they are alive." Barbas nodded. "I will summon you when you're needed." And with nothing more Barbas shimmered away._

_Piper had needed to go into town to grab a few ingredients for a summoning potion they were working on. Intrigued at the idea Sam tagged along with her leaving Phoebe and Dean in the house alone. Phoebe was in the attic looking through the Book of Shadows while Dean was downstairs in the living room, alone in his thoughts. There was a knock on the door. After a few minutes and another knock Dean decided to go and open the door to see who it was._

_A beautiful woman with short, blonde hair and a curvy body to match was standing before Dean. "Well hello," Dean said, leaning up against the frame of the door._

_The woman smiled in response. "Is Phoebe home?" she asked._

_Dean smiled stupidly until he realized he had been asked a question. "Uh, yes. She's upstairs." He let the woman inside the manor and shut the door behind him. "Who might you be?"_

"_My name's Billie, I'm a friend of the sisters," Billie Jenkins replied. "I don't recognize you."_

"_I'm a recent acquaintance of the sisters," Dean replied._

_It was at that moment that Phoebe came down the stairs, wearing her hair in a bun and her reading glasses on. "Billie, I'm so glad you could make it!" she said._

"_Piper filled me in on everything," Billie said. "I've already contacted the leprechauns and it took some convincing, but they're ready to join forces once more."_

"_Hi I'm Dean," said Dean as he went to shake Billie's hand._

_She laughed. "Mind explaining who this horndog is?" Billie asked._

"_He's a hunter. He and his brother have a friend who's going to help us track Prue," Phoebe said._

_Billie nodded. "I've heard of hunters," she said. "Most of them are pigs." Dean sat back down._

_Then Paige and Castiel orbed into the manor next to Phoebe. "We have some news," Paige said. "Where's Piper?" she asked, looking around._

"_She's in China Town with Sam looking for some ingredients," Phoebe said. "What's the news?"_

"_I think Castiel here can explain it," Paige said._

"_Yes, well it seems that I have located what I believe to be Prudence Halliwell's soul," Castiel said. "In Magic School I was meditating, that is the process I use to follow lost souls, and one in particular kept crossing my vision. Following it I began to ask her questions. She didn't want to answer me at first, but when I explained what I was she answered."_

"_And?" Phoebe asked._

"_She told me her name and that some unknown force had been chasing her on this unknown plane," Castiel said. "And what's worse is that the only way to bring your sister's soul back is by going onto this plane yourselves, all three of you."_

"_That's too risky," Phoebe said._

"_It's the only way," Castiel said. "I would bring her out myself, but I cannot. It was hard enough getting close to her to talk."_

"_I'll go and find Piper," Paige said. She then orbed out of the manor._

"_I'll go and talk to the ogre," Billie said._

"_I'll come with," Dean said._

"_Ogres are beings that cannot be reasoned with, Dean," Castiel said. "It would be most unwise."_

"_Oh lighten up, would ya Cas?" Dean said. He then left the manor with Billie leaving Castiel and Phoebe alone._

"_Does that a lot, does he?" Phoebe asked._

"_More times than I'd care to admit," Castiel said with a sigh as he sat down._

"_Right," Phoebe said as she made to stay downstairs instead of heading back up to the attic._


	7. Chapter 7

_Leo Wyatt found himself alone. He had felt excruciating pain that seemed to go on forever until, at last, it had stopped. The last thing he remembered he was healing a wounded soldier, doing his best to help all those that he could. He had left his friends behind, but others needed his help as well. It was his duty. But little was he aware of the even greater duty he was about to be given._

_Unaware of his surroundings Leo, nonetheless, began to walk forward. There was nothing around him, so he wasn't quite sure what he was walking to. Not before too long, though, amidst all the white he was surrounded by he came to a sudden stop. An unknown force had stopped him from moving forward._

"_Leonardo Wyatt, otherwise known as Leo to your friends," a strong, male voice said. The voice seemed to come from nowhere. Leo looked everywhere but could not find the source of the noise. "You have proven yourself most brave in your mortal life, pure of heart and uncommonly kind."_

_Leo found his voice. "Who's there?" he asked._

"_My name is of little importance at this point in your life," the voice said. "What is important is the path you choose next."_

"_What do you mean path?" Leo asked. "Am I…?" He couldn't bring himself to say it._

"_Yes Leo, you are dead," the voice said. "But you sacrificed yourself in the name of the greater good, and He does not let that go unacknowledged."_

_Leo was silent. He had always believed in God, but to face the reality so suddenly was quite remarkable. "What do you want from me?" he asked._

"_Leo Wyatt, you have a chance to serve the Lord as well as being able to help his many children once more. He sees in you something He hasn't seen in anyone in quite some time," the voice said. "What say you?"_

_Leo mulled the idea over. Not seeing an alternative he slowly nodded. "I say yes. If it means being able to help others again, I am in."_

"_So be it," the voice said. Suddenly Leo heard the fluttering of what he assumed was a giant bird. A great gust of wind nearly knocked Leo over. Steadying himself Leo was now looking into the eyes of a man, but not just a man but something greater._

_This man was beautiful. He had blonde hair and hazel eyes that were kind, and fair. He wore a trimming, black suit with a blue-collared t-shirt. He looked to Leo and extended a hand. The moment Leo grasped hands with this man he fell to his knees feeling every emotion he had felt as a human only amplified a thousand fold. He felt anger, and not just anger but every level, every layer. It seemed there were hundreds of layers to every emotion and up wherever Leo was, he felt them all at once._

_After a solid minute, when Leo had stopped squirming from the embrace, the man let him go. "Never before have I seen anyone react to the touch such as you have. It takes most men and women nearly a lifetime to let go, but you embraced it well within a minute." He smiled down to Leo and helped him back up. "You are mighty, Leo."_

"_What just happened?" Leo asked._

"_You have felt the touch of an angel," the man said. "The touch is what we angels do to see if a human who has passed on has what it takes to become an angel. As a higher being you are to feel every emotion at once, and every layer of every emotion. For without that you are simply an entity existing in a place you do not belong. You passed the test, Leo."_

_Leo felt a sudden calm come over him. "I feel it," he admitted. He then turned to the man. "Can I meet Him?" Leo then asked._

_The man's expression turned from excitement to a sullied demeanor. "I'm afraid Father no longer considers Heaven his home. He has long since abandoned it. There are rumors of His return, but they are just that, rumors."_

_Leo nodded. "What is my first task then?"_

_The man changed his expression back to what it once was. "That is up to Zachariah. He is, for all intents and purposes, our superior. He has his doubts about you, but Zachariah will be glad to know you are up to the task."_

"_What do angels do?" Leo asked as the man guided Leo to another area. Benches could now be seen, only benches and nothing more. The man took a seat and motioned for Leo to do the same._

"_That is a mighty fine question," the man said. "For what can we do now but guide and nurture the souls that enter our dominion?" He sighed and looked around. "You need not worry, for Zachariah will guide you." A roar could be heard in the distance. "Ah, that will be him now."_

_The man stood up looking down upon Leo one last time. "I never caught your name," Leo said._

"_I am Castiel," he replied. _

_Leo's mind was then brought back to the present. He had gone to summon the Elders in Magic School, traveling to a private room in which to do so. A group of three Elders, lead by Kyle, were watching over Leo who was on his knees. Leo looked up to Kyle, tears in his eyes. "Why would you take that memory from me?" Leo asked. "How could you make me forget that I was an angel?"_

"_It wasn't us that did so, Leo," Kyle replied. "In fact it is because of us that you are even allowed to remember those events."_

"_Indeed," said the second Elder, a man by the name of Dijuno. "But possessing the knowledge of our predecessors we do know what happened. The angel known as Zachariah became quickly disappointed with you. His garrison of angels tortured the souls of Heaven for information."_

_Kyle nodded. "For a time angels refused to step foot on Earth because of their distaste for humans, as odd as that sounds. But when the Winchesters started causing issues they resorted to more desperate measures."_

"_The angel known as Castiel intervened, however. Zachariah had ordered one of his men to end you because you refused to torture. That is when Castiel stepped in and cast you to us," the last Elder, a woman by the name of Cassandra, said._

"_Your memories were wiped from your time in Heaven, and knowing it was the angels who sent you to us," Dijuno began._

"_As they tend to do from time to time," Kyle intervened._

"_We offered you immortality and a chance to do good once more," Dijuno finished. "Our predecessors knew of your history but elected to ignore it, ruling that it had no part in who you were during your mortal life."_

"_But the moment you became an Avatar, that is when they remembered," Cassandra said. _

"_You are a great man, Leo," Kyle said. "It is the folly of our predecessors that granted us to become the new council."_

"_Elders and angels do not often interact with one another," Cassandra said. "The last time we did so was when Castiel delivered you unto us."_

"_You see Elders are considered a lower class of angels," Dijuno explained. "We all work for the same Lord, but we are considered customer relations. We deal with all things on Earth. Very rare is it for the angels to do so."_

"_However we were given strict orders to not intervene when Michael and Lucifer were searching for their vessels," Cassandra said._

_Leo's face went from sadness to confusion. "You don't mean to tell me?" Leo said, looking up._

"_The apocalypse was nigh," Kyle said. "We didn't even know it ourselves until it was over. Nothing could be done."_

"_How was Lucifer stopped?" Leo asked._

"_Sam and Dean Winchester," Dijuno said. "If it weren't for them, I'm not sure the world would exist. At least not the way it does today."_

"_You see Sam and Dean Winchester were Michael and Lucifer's vessels. But they fought them both and eventually managed to cage the two in Lucifer's cage once more," Cassandra said, evident appreciation in her voice._

"_But not without locking their long lost brother, Adam, as well," Kyle said._

_Leo stood up, looking to each Elder. "Why did you not tell me?"_

"_You are no longer an Elder, nor an angel," Kyle said. "It was not your place to know these things. The sisters were facing even greater threats, they still are in fact. Don't be upset."_

_Leo nodded turning away. "This is far greater than even us, Leo," Cassandra said as Leo began to walk away. "Do not tell the sisters for it will only distract them."_

_Leo kept walking, hiding his anger at all the secrets, the betrayal and the lies. He knew it wasn't the current council's fault, but he was angry all the same. Perhaps he should find Castiel to see what his opinion was? It seemed that besides his family, this angel was the only one who had any ounce of respect for him._


	8. Chapter 8

"_We don't exactly have the best track record with witches," Sam was saying to Piper as she searched for the right ingredients for her summoning potion. "But then again we haven't dealt with many good witches."_

"_It's not a phrase you hear often, I guess," Piper said as she was browsing a shelf dedicated to frog spawn._

"_Most witches we encountered were only powerful because of the demons they associated with," Sam explained. He was quiet for a bit. "In fact the last pair of witches we've seen were Don and Maggie Stark."_

_Piper turned to face Sam. "Not exactly the best pair of witches to base a prejudice on," she said._

"_So you've met them," Sam said._

_Piper nodded as she grabbed a jar from the top shelf. "Me and my sisters have had to intervene from time to time when their marital bliss takes a hiatus."_

"_Tell me about it," Sam said. Piper smiled, finding it comforting that she could talk so freely with someone else about this. "So who are you summoning?" he asked._

_Piper went down another aisle searching for one last ingredient. "Well normal summonings don't require ingredients, but this one does. Since our oldest enemy has returned we have to be ready, and in order to do so we need to call upon the one person that was closest to him when he was most evil."_

"_Your oldest enemy being this Cole fellow who is responsible for banishing your sister's soul?" Sam asked, trying to remember what Piper had told him on the drive downtown._

"_He was once a demon," Piper said. "It's a long story, really. But if I know Cole he is planning something big. It wouldn't surprise me if he was the one sending all these different factions after us."_

_Sam nodded in understanding. "Well my brother and I will do what we can to help." At that moment Paige orbed directly in front of Sam and Piper causing Sam to knock back into the shelf behind him causing a dozen or so jars to knock over._

"_Paige, what do you think you're doing orbing in here? Someone could have seen you!" Piper hissed. She then went to help Sam up who had clearly never seen anyone orb before._

"_Sorry, it's just you need to get back to the manor as soon as you can," Paige said._

"_Why? What's wrong? Is Dean okay?" Sam asked._

"_Oh yeah he's fine, he's on his way with Billie to talk to an ogre," Paige said, as though this was normal, everyday conversation._

"_Perfect," Sam said._

"_But your friend, Castiel," Paige started, "he found Prue's soul." Piper's eyes widened._

"_How? Where is she?" Piper asked._

"_She's on some unknown plane," Paige said. "The angel said that she is being chased by something and that only you, me and Phoebe can save her."_

"_What does that mean?" Piper asked. "Can't that angel just pull her out?"_

_Paige shook her head. "He said only the Charmed Ones can," she replied._

"_Naturally," Piper said. Her vision then fell on a jar on the top most shelf just above Sam. "Do you mind?" she asked Paige._

_Rolling her eyes Paige summoned the jar into her hand by saying, "Jar!" Sam was astonished once again by her orbing abilities._

"_I take it you don't see this type of thing often?" Piper asked. _

"_The witches we met didn't have powers even close to yours," Sam said._

"_Alright this is the last item I need, let's go," Piper said. The three then went to the front counter to check out. Piper rang the bell that was on the counter as there was a man behind who was facing the opposite direction. Slowly he turned around his gaze falling upon the trio._

"_Well well well, long time no see," the man said. Paige and Piper's faces became enraged as they saw the man was no one other than Barbas himself, the demon of fear. "I told you I'd be back," he said with malice in his voice._

"_Barbas," Piper whispered for that was all she could manage to utter._


End file.
